Episode Report Card Deborah: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Arcadia the Beautiful
By Deborah | Season 2 | Episode 5 | Aired on 10.21.2004
Helen comes into her classroom to find that Shellacky's gone. It hasn't done anything for Annie's bitchface. She asks, "Why'd they take it? You said they wouldn't take it." Helen's wondering what to do next when a couple comes in; the man introduces himself and his wife as Craig and Teri Fitch. Darlene's with them, and he says he wants to explain why they had Principal Chadwick (that's the guy's name!) remove the dead animal. Helen asks them to discuss it privately out in the hall. As Adam eavesdrops by the door, Helen says, "You had my student's work removed without talking to me first?" Teri says, "A dead animal is not a student's work." Uh, yeah it is. Also, good casting; she looks like she could really be Darlene's mother. Craig: "In a culture of violence, do we need our schools sending out the message that death is a joke?" Helen: "And what message does censorship send?" That freedom of speech and expression is a joke? Darlene's father says he's not trying to shut down some art gallery: "This is a school, which my tax dollars fund." That's enough for Adam, who comes out and says, "Oh, so you get to decide what has value and what doesn't? You people are the reason why there's no money for the arts. Thanks, Darlene, really." Helen tells him that's enough and sends him back to the classroom. Helen tells the Fitches that they've made their position quite clear, and that she has a class to teach. Darlene looks bummed as her parents walk her away.
Outside, Joan's trying a new tack: "Beaumont! Beaumont, he's dressing better. Vote Beaumont." What the…? Someone walks past Joan and takes off something that is sort of the shape and has the fit of a football helmet, but has a face on it too, like a mask. The face is sort of doll-like. That is seriously weird. Judith comes out as Joan's assuring voters of the sartorial improvement Brian's achieved to tell her, "Save it, JoJo: No one's going to vote for a guy whose dad's in jail." Joan is startled: "What are you talking about?" Judith says the "Lars propaganda factory" is spreading that rumour. Joan says that can't be true. Judith asks what it matters whether it's true if every kid in school thinks it is. Joan: "Well, it just does…doesn't it?" Judith does a poor imitation of James Caan: "Look, this is war. You're not a wartime consiglieri, JoJo." Joan raises her eyebrow at Judith, who explains she's been watching The Godfather on cable. She offers to buy Joan a Lars Bar. Joan, looking quite pale, takes off, saying she can't. Judith shrugs.